A lifting of heart with an old friend
by Whakapapa
Summary: This little story is inspired by a talented writer in here who often writes about Andy/Sharon relationships. I wrote it with her in mind, and I hope she will read it and understand it. I hope you will forgive me for using this medium. To the rest of you, I hope you will find some parts of it interesting. Sincerely yours, a true MC fan.


"God, but it can be so infuriating sometimes, feeling this isolated" Andy moaned, his head resting on the counter of the bar. Provenza glanced down at him out of the corner of his eyes, swallowing the tumble of whiskey.

"What's the matter with you? I haven't seen you this mopey since way before you made it official, I thought you were all happy honeymoons and all that…" he gestured to the bartender to refill his glass and ordered a new virgin drink for Andy. _Virgin drink? It's just orange juice._

Andy straightened up and ran a hand through his grey hair, a heavy sigh and a following sagging of his body, "I thought it was going great, I mean, we had lots of good times and talks. And then after my vacation with my family, she just seems unresponsive, uninterested…"

"She does have a great deal of work on her hand, the chief was none too pleased when he found out, and you know he haven't been lax on giving her paperwork," he smiled warmly at the bartender as she refilled his glass, _did she just return his smile?_

"I know! But even before that, she seemed to be in withdrawing, I'm afraid there is something I might've done to push her away…or might've not done…" Andy breathed out heavily and took a big gulp of his drink, "I just feel so frustrated, and…disappointed really…"

"Hey now, ah…" he let go as he could see Andy wasn't quite done yet, and tossed back his whiskey, _need those drinks.._. He held up one finger when the bartender looked and smiled apologetic, winking slightly_. No wink back, must've been a fluke then._

"I know it is not her fault that she keeps getting that paperwork, and it certainly wasn't her decision that I took a three week vacation right when she might've had some time, but still, I had certainly hoped that when I came back, she would be more willing to…to see me." Andy continued, frowning as he lifted his glass from the counter, playing with condensed drops of water.

"Well, uhm, you might want to cut her some slack, what with Rusty and all that…" Provenza tried and quickly tossed back his tumble of whiskey with an alerted glare at Andy.

"I know, and I want to be there for her too, you know? I want to support her, and I've told her that, but I don't think she really believes me. She seems to only rely on herself, she doesn't really confide in me and if I didn't try and strike up conversations with her in the office, I wouldn't know what she does with her life, and even then, I hardly do know…" This time Andy held up a finger, Provenza started to protest with a shake of his head, but thought better of it, "I feel needy, and clingy, and that pisses me off, I don't like that, however if I don't ask her stuff, I fear I wouldn't ever hear from her again…like I don't even matter to her, you know?"

"Why don't you just give her time to work all this out, Flynn?" he put a hand on Andy's shoulder, "I'm sure it's just a rough patch in her life and eventually she will figure out how to cope with all that has happened and is happening, and… you as well."

Andy fumbled around in his wallet for some money, Provenza looked on, sighed and put his hand on Andy's, shaking his head, brought up his own wallet and put down the money for the whiskeys and orange juice. They both got up from their seats and Provenza hoped this was the end of the talk. But alas.

"Yeah, I know you're right, and it's not like I don't want to give her time, I'll give, and do, anything to help her. And even if I'm not the most patient of men," Provenza nodded sagely, thinking of Andy's quick temper and how he saw him punch his fist into a wall in sheer frustration, "I think there ought to be a limit to how long you're supposed to wait with no reassurances. I mean, if I just got a word or if she would reach out to me every now and then on her own without me prompting her, I'd know she actually thought of me, and wanted to be with me. Then I could be patient. Then I could wait until end of times, and then some. Damnit, but I'm ranting, you know my life Louie, I haven't had the easiest of times, and while I may be a rough guy on the outside…"

Provenza didn't quite know what to do with this entire feeling outburst from Andy, it made him slightly uncomfortable, "Yeah, you are a real tender romantic soul, Andy, I'll be sure to tell that to the next perv you beat up; sorry perv, but Andy here is actually just a big softie, so if you just puck your lips and sway a bit with your hips, I'm certain he would stop beating you and take you out to dinner instead."

Andy started grinning while pinching his eyes, "Haha, yeah, thanks, I'm sure that would make him willing to make a deal, a dinner date with ol' me…." They both walked a bit in silence in the darkening afternoon. After a while Provenza called for taxi and motioned for Andy to get inside. Andy opened the door, and was about to get in, when he turned around and Provenza almost rolled his eyes.

"Hey thanks for listening, you're a true friend Loiue, and I'm sorry for being all weird about it. I just needed to get this off my chest, and find a way to either tell her and, or, distract myself long enough to get to the other side, no better to find a way to tell her… I just really miss her, it's been over a month since we last saw each other…properly…" He looked at Provenza and grinned. Provenza scowled back, but couldn't help but grin a little in return.

"Next time, though, you're buying the whiskeys Flynn," Provenza said as he closed the car door, "I damn near emptied my retirement fund in there." He mumbled to himself and called for another taxi.


End file.
